Snow in Kashmir next week, predicts Met

SRINAGAR : Kashmir is again in the grip of cold wave as the night temperature dropped to minus 5.6°C on Thursday.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another spell of snowfall in the valley in the first week of

February. Since December, Kashmir has witnessed back-toback rounds of snowfall besides cold wave and low temperatures that also left the waterbodies and a portion of Dal Lake frozen.

According to IMD, the night temperature in Srinagar again plunged to minus 5.6°C, while winter capital Jammu recorded minimum temperature of 7.4°C on Thursday.

Tourist and ski resort of Gulmarg witnessed a low of minus 13.4°C, becoming the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir. Another tourist favourite, Pahalgam shivered at minus 12.3°C.

A senior IMD official said there is possibility of snowfall in the first week of February.

“Light snowfall is expected in the plains and heavy snowfall in the upper reaches due to the feeble western disturbance. However, this would improve the night temperatures,” the official added.

The meteorological department said the weather is likely to improve with the end of Chillai

Kalan — the harshest 40 days of Kashmir winter — on a dry note. During this period, the Valley witnessed two to three spells of snowfall, especially on January 9 when four to five feet of snow was recorded in Kashmir which had also resulted in the snapping of air and surface connectivity of the region with rest of the country.